Next Chapter of Life
by S.S.Ezria
Summary: She thought that he was out of her life forever. The only piece of him she had left was his book, the book that ruined her. The book that brought them together at last.
1. Chapter 1

Aria Montgomery sat in her apartment on a brisk fall afternoon, snuggled in a blanket and reading a battered book that she had read so many times over that it was nearly memorized. When she finished it, she closed the book gently in an attempt not to ruin it any further. To her disappointment, the last ten or so pages dislodged themselves from the weak binding. Aria did not understand how a book published so recently (in comparison to the grand scheme of things) could be worn so badly. That was the way she'd found the book at the used book store—tattered, frayed, and lacking its back cover. It also seemed to be missing the entire part three, because there were no more pages after the one dividing part two from part three. Aria simply accepted the incomplete book with yellowing pages because whenever she went to any bookstore, all of the copies were sold out. Maybe it was for the better. Maybe she didn't want to know the ending the author decided for the book.

Aria looked down at the ruined book, part of it in each hand. Without knowing why, she let the loose papers fall to the ground and she grabbed another handful of papers and ripped them out of the book. Aria was a petite, thin young woman who wasn't too keen on any sort of physical activity, but at that moment, she felt like the Hulk—enraged and strong. Her newly acquired sense of empowerment drove her to tear out another section, more vigorously this time,

"That is for leaving me!" She screamed as the papers fluttered helplessly to the ground. She continued to deface the story, shouting, "And /that/ was for ending our story!" as she angrily stomped on the papers on the floor, squishing them like a child does ants.

She stared at the floor, wiping her eyes and suddenly regretting what she had done. She had destroyed the only piece of him she had left.

But he had destroyed their love.

Aria didn't feel the need to purchase another copy because she had read Just another Apple so many times that it she could practically recite the entire volume. Not to mention, she had lived the story. She didn't need to pay money to learn about her own life. Aria felt the destruction of this book symbolized her relationship. She needed to just let it go. Yet, as Aria grabbed the fallen papers and brought them to the recycling bin, she couldn't bring herself to open her hand and let the papers fall in. Instead, she hastily stuffed them into her closet. Aria decided to take a walk since the weather was nice and she was sick of being cooped up. She grabbed her bag, locking the door behind her as she exited her apartment and walked down the stairs and out of the building. She breathed in the cool, New Yorke air, and then coughed it back out, as it was polluted from cigarette smoke. She strolled with an unusual skip in her step. She was an independent woman, living on her own in the city, working at a job she loved, her closest friends living relatively nearby.

But where was he?

After days of looking online, she never did find out. But did his fleeing make her life better or worse? Maybe it was the lack of closure that is what kept her clinging on, kept her from forgetting. Or maybe she just never fell out of love.

She walked to Bigelow's, her little corner of paradise. It was a cozy, relaxing bookstore and coffee shop combined into one. She planned on grabbing a coffee and something new, possibly a poetry book. She hadn't picked up a poetry book in ages. No sooner had she walked into the store when she was practically confronted with a giant sign with a very familiar face on it. "Today and Tomorrow only!" it read, "get your copy of Just Another Apple signed and listen to a book talk given by the author!" Aria's heart froze. That meant that he was here. Aria got in line for coffee when she heard a velvety, guttural voice that had been music to her ears years ago.

She must have been hearing things.

Life split them apart. There was never any hope for a reunion.

Yet… here he was, shockingly enough.

No, it was too cliché to be true. Seeing his face on the poster reminded Aria of him; she was just imagining her long lost lover standing in front of her.

The man turned and sat at a table, giving Aria the perfect profile view of him.

It was true, it was him.

Aria still believed her eyes were deceiving her.

However, now was the chance to speak up. Or else he might disappear. But did Aria really want him back?

Aria suddenly heard a voice. She realized it was her own. She silently berated herself for speaking without thinking.

Aria Montgomery had uttered one solitary word. This single noun had the power to drastically alter fate. And it did.

"Ezra?"

**Twitter: OhHale2theNo**

**NK and TGG should both be updated shortly. (I'm thinking TGG before NK, but we'll see. Also—I'm working on a potential three-ish shot, but idk if I will post it. I would love some help on it…)**

**Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

"_This twist of fate, this surprising reunion left me at a loss for words. The only phrase I could muster was "Holy crap"- __Just Another Apple_

Ezra Fitz abruptly looked up and nearly spit out his coffee in shock. He could not believe what he was seeing. The girl that he had let go was right before his eyes. She looked even more beautiful then when he last saw her, ten years ago, but he noticed a certain loneliness in her eyes, one that he had never spotted before. This surprise reunion was a pleasant one, but all too shocking and random for him to formulate words. He had questions for the love of his life who had just now reentered his world, and the two certainly had a lot of catching up to do. Ezra just had no idea where to begin.

"Aria?" He asked, feeling the need to ascertain that the woman before him was, in fact, the woman he'd promise to himself that he would marry years ago.

Aria gave Ezra a slight smile. Here face looked friendly, but in her eyes were glassy and melancholic. She nodded.

Ezra Fitz was still the same smartly dressed gentleman, the same young man with the boyish curls, the same young man that Aria had fell in love with years ago. Yet, he looked older. Well, he _was_ older, and to be fair, so was she. But his cheeks looked just that much more hollow, and the skin around his eyes was just that much more wrinkly, forming crow's-feet.

"How have you been?" He asked. It was a purely platonic question.

"Fine. You?" Aria answered, tersely.

"I've been alright. Are you here for the signing?"

"Ezra, it was your career that ended our relationship, I don't really think that's the thing we should be talking about." Aria snapped.

"But times have changed."

"Yes they have. You're a bestselling author who finally got the chance to live on cloud nine, ever since you brushed off the girl who was holding you back. You took pleasure out of my pain and you're getting money from it."

"Aria, no, clearly you've misunderstood. Please, hear me out."

Aria would have none of it. "Have a nice rest of your life, Ezra Fitz." She said, and meant it sincerely. She pivoted and began to stride out of the shop, when Ezra rose from his seat. He grabbed Aria's arm, causing her to stop and turn.

"Please, Aria, let me explain…" He pleaded. Aria tried to shake his hand off.

"At least tell me if you've read the book."

"I did," Aria said quietly."

"What did you think of the ending?" Ezra asked hopefully.

"Didn't read the ending" Aria replied dryly

"Why not?" Ezra was intrigued. He needed Aria to read those last pages. His life practically depended on it.

"Never got around to it," Said Aria, and for some reason, she avoided telling him that she had purchased an incomplete copy.

_That explains it, _Ezra thought to himself, _that explains why she's acting so cold._

"Please do," He begged.

"Maybe one day," Aria said, in a tone that spoke for itself, saying that she most certainly wouldn't.

"Are you here for the book signing?" Ezra asked.

"I actually had no idea about the signing," Aria replied, "This is my local bookstore." She suddenly felt curiously vulnerable, practically revealing to Ezra where she lived. She didn't want him to know more about her than she knew about him.

"How is life in Delaware?" She asked him.

"It was hard to get accustomed to." He answered. He then said, "I really missed Rosewood," But he meant _I really missed you. _

"Are you still living there?"

"No, actually I moved here a few months ago?"

"Oh, really?" _And you didn't even bother to tell me?_

"Yeah."

That pretty much ended the conversation, and Aria walked out of the door, coffee in hand.

Ezra sat in the back of Bigelow's, hastily signing the copies of _Just Another Apple _that were thrust at him. He could not believe the noisy, bustling crowd before him and the cameras flashing at him. He felt almost as if he were a celebrity—but he was far from that. He was simply a man who put his life on paper, changed around the names, and sent it in to a publishing company.

After a while, his hand began to cramp up, and he announced,

"I would love to take your questions."

He heard a voice from the back call, "Wait, why did you title your book _Just Another Apple?_

Ezra tsk-ed, shaking his head, "Sounds like someone didn't _really _read the book," He then grabbed a copy and flipped through it until he found the page he was looking for.

"Our relationship felt so meant to be that I never saw it to be scandalous," Ezra recited, "I never thought of her as forbidden fruit growing off the tree I am not allowed to eat from. To me, she was just another apple."

"Mr. Fitz, how do you feel now that you've published a book that promotes highly inappropriate relationships?" Asked an astonished middle-aged woman.

"_Just Another Apple_ centers around a teacher's forbidden relationship with his young student, but the book does not discuss said girl's fall from innocence," Ezra answered, "Rather, it shows the purity and honesty of their love. The book does not encourage student-teacher relationships; it encourages love."

"Why did you choose to end the book the way you did?" Asked a man.

"You see, life isn't always romantic, it's often realistic. I didn't want to give my book the all-too-cheesy 'happily ever after' ending. Yet we often read books to escape the unfortunate realism of life, so I decided to give my book that hopeful ending to create a balance of practical yet romantic."

"When do you think you'll start writing the sequel?" Called out another voice, "We've been waiting far too long!"

A chorus of "Yeah!" 's erupted throughout the crowd. Ezra cleared his throat as to notify the mass to simmer.

"Ummmm... well…" Ezra began, unable to find the right words, "I guess I just don't have any… inspiration."

After the book signing ended and Bigelow's returned to its usual, hushed state, Ezra pulled out his phone and scrolled down his contact list.

"While I'm in the area, do you want to grab lunch?"

Aria's phone beeped, and when she pulled it out, she could not deny that her heart fluttered once she saw who it was.

"Sure! When and where?" She replied. _Why not? _The thought to her self, convincing herself that lunch might be an okay idea, even though her fingertips worked faster than her brain and she had already sent the text. _A lunch is just that—lunch, and just because I go to lunch with him doesn't mean anything._

Once she and Ezra settled on a time and location, Aria hopped into a taxi and headed to the restaurant. When Aria entered the quaint and airy bistro, she noticed that Ezra was already sitting at a table, so she slid into her chair. The two simply sat there, the situation far too awkward.

"so…" Aria began, tentatively. The ice had to be broken eventually, "How did the signing go?"

"It went well," Ezra replied, "But I was disappointed that you didn't stay."

"How is Malcom?" Aria asked, remembering the day that Ezra had left for Delaware in tears to visit the son he never knew, only to come back to tell Aria that he was offered a job there… and he accepted. This time when he left, it was Aria whose face was streaming with tears.

"Ummm…" Ezra began quietly, at a loss for words, "I wouldn't know."

"What do you.-"

"He's not mine." Ezra said, gravely.

Aria sat there, stunned. She reached across the table to hold Ezra's hand in a consoling embrace. "I'm so sorry," was all she could say.

"It's okay," Ezra said, his voice quivering.

"I don't think it is."

"So how are you doing?" Ezra asked, wanting to deter the conversation from Maggie's con-artistry.

"I'm well," Aria replied, "I love my job, love where I'm living, and I see my high school friends often." Both Aria and Ezra were envious of the other for living such great lives—without each other.

After a surprisingly pleasant afternoon, Aria decided that it was time to go, walking out of the restaurant, and hailing a cab to take her back home.

**Well… I suck at metaphors, and coming up with titles for things, so I apologize for calling Ezra's book **_**Just Another Apple, **_**but unfortunately, it stuck. **

**Twitter: OhHale2theNo**

**Until next time!**


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